1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automobile seat belt adjuster, and specifically, a seat belt adjuster adapted for use with children. The seat belt adjuster is adapted to receive a conventional seat belt and pulls the seat belt to a position around the child's shoulder and waist/abdomen so that the seat belt does not extend across and interfere with the child's face.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional three-point automobile seat belts are normally provided with one original strap with a latch plate slidably positioned therealong. When pulled, the latch plate divides the original strap into two straps, a waist strap and a shoulder harness or strap. To use the seat belt, an individual pulls the latch plate and fastens the latch plate to a buckle secured to a side of the automobile seat. When the latch plate is pulled, it slides along the original strap to adjust the respective lengths of the waist strap and the shoulder strap to the body size of the individual. When the latch plate is fastened to the buckle, the waist or abdomen strap is wrapped around the individual's waist to prevent the individual from being dislodged from the seat in the event of an accident. The shoulder strap is wrapped around the individual's shoulder and chest to prevent the individual's upper body and head from being thrown forward into the windshield.
In the above description, the terminology "waist strap" was used to describe the strap which secures the lower body of the individual to the seat. Depending on the physique of a particular individual, this strap may either be wrapped around the individual's waist or abdomen. In either case, this strap performs the same function, hence the terminology "waist strap" shall be used hereinafter to refer to this strap.
Conventional automobile seat belts are well-adapted for use with adults of normal height. However, these conventional seat belts are not well suited for individuals who are very short in height, such as, for example, children who have out-grown conventional restraining devices (hereinafter referred to as "child" or "children"). When a conventional seat belt is fastened in place by a child, the slidable latch plate adjusts in a manner which allows for the waist strap to securely hold the child's lower body in the seat. However, the shoulder strap will typically extend across the child's face because his or her upper body is not quite as long as that of a taller individual.
A shoulder strap which overhangs a child's face is very annoying and uncomfortable. This is undesirable because it discourages the use of the seat belt, which is dangerous. Alternatively, to avoid the overhanging shoulder strap, a child may move the shoulder strap behind his or her back so that it does not interfere with his or her face. However, this would defeat the purpose of a shoulder strap since the child's face and upper body can still be thrown forward in an accident.
Attempts have been made to address this problem. WO 92/16394 to Thomas J. Golder describes, in the "Background of the Invention" section, attempts that have been made to modify the shoulder harness or strap of conventional seat belts. WO 92/16394 itself describes restraint devices that comprise a tubular guide member defining a longitudinal passageway for receiving and engaging both the shoulder strap and the waist strap of a conventional three-point seat belt. For example, the restraint device 210 in FIGS. 11 and 12 provides a channel 240 which is defined by rivets 280. The channel 240 spaces the shoulder strap S from the inlet 290 through which the waist strap L is fitted. Unfortunately, the restraint devices of WO 92/16394 suffer from the drawback that they are not easy to use. For example, in the restraint device 210 of FIGS. 11 and 12, unless the latch plate of the seat belt is gripped by the user when in use, the resiliency of the seat belt will cause the latch plate to slide back into the longitudinal passageway 235 and be caught therein. The user must then use his or her hand to reach into the longitudinal passageway 235 to retrieve the latch plate before unfastening the rivets 280 to remove the seat belt from the restraint device 210. This can be annoying and sometimes confusing to the user, especially when the user is trying to position the restraint device prior to fastening the latch plate in the buckle. Since such restraint devices are usually used by children, it is important that their operation be simple so that children will be encouraged to use them properly.
Thus, there remains a need for a device which is adaptable for use with a conventional seat belt for adjusting the position of the shoulder strap so that it does not interfere with a child's face, which is simple in construction, is easy for children to use, and which may be easy and less expensive to manufacture.